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The Taming of the Shrew: Act 4 Scene 4

Scene IV Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.

[Enter TRANIO, and the Pedant dressed like VINCENTIO]

TRANIO

Sir, this is the house: please it you that I call?

PEDANT

Ay, what else? and but I be deceived

Signior Baptista may remember me,

Near twenty years ago, in Genoa,

Where we were lodgers at the Pegasus.

TRANIO

'Tis well; and hold your own, in any case,

With such austerity as 'longeth to a father.

PEDANT

I warrant you.

[Enter BIONDELLO]

But, sir, here comes your boy;

'Twere good he were school'd.

TRANIO

Fear you not him. Sirrah Biondello,

Now do your duty throughly, I advise you:

Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio.

BIONDELLO

Tut, fear not me.

TRANIO

But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?

BIONDELLO

I told him that your father was at Venice,

And that you look'd for him this day in Padua.

TRANIO

Thou'rt a tall fellow: hold thee that to drink.

Here comes Baptista: set your countenance, sir.

[Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO]

Signior Baptista, you are happily met.

[To the Pedant]

Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of:

I pray you stand good father to me now,

Give me Bianca for my patrimony.

PEDANT

Soft son!

Sir, by your leave: having come to Padua

To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio

Made me acquainted with a weighty cause

Of love between your daughter and himself:

And, for the good report I hear of you

And for the love he beareth to your daughter

And she to him, to stay him not too long,

I am content, in a good father's care,

To have him match'd; and if you please to like

No worse than I, upon some agreement

Me shall you find ready and willing

With one consent to have her so bestow'd;

For curious I cannot be with you,

Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well.

BAPTISTA

Sir, pardon me in what I have to say:

Your plainness and your shortness please me well.

Right true it is, your son Lucentio here

Doth love my daughter and she loveth him,

Or both dissemble deeply their affections:

And therefore, if you say no more than this,

That like a father you will deal with him

And pass my daughter a sufficient dower,

The match is made, and all is done:

Your son shall have my daughter with consent.

TRANIO

I thank you, sir. Where then do you know best

We be affied and such assurance ta'en

As shall with either part's agreement stand?

BAPTISTA

Not in my house, Lucentio; for, you know,

Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants:

Besides, old Gremio is hearkening still;

And happily we might be interrupted.

TRANIO

Then at my lodging, an it like you:

There doth my father lie; and there, this night,

We'll pass the business privately and well.

Send for your daughter by your servant here:

My boy shall fetch the scrivener presently.

The worst is this, that, at so slender warning,

You are like to have a thin and slender pittance.

BAPTISTA

It likes me well. Biondello, hie you home,

And bid Bianca make her ready straight;

And, if you will, tell what hath happened,

Lucentio's father is arrived in Padua,

And how she's like to be Lucentio's wife.

BIONDELLO

I pray the gods she may with all my heart!

TRANIO

Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone.

[Exit BIONDELLO]

Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way?

Welcome! one mess is like to be your cheer:

Come, sir; we will better it in Pisa.

BAPTISTA

I follow you.

[Exeunt TRANIO, Pedant, and BAPTISTA]

[Re-enter BIONDELLO]

BIONDELLO

Cambio!

LUCENTIO

What sayest thou, Biondello?

BIONDELLO

You saw my master wink and laugh upon you?

LUCENTIO

Biondello, what of that?

BIONDELLO

Faith, nothing; but has left me here behind, to

expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.

LUCENTIO

I pray thee, moralize them.

BIONDELLO

Then thus. Baptista is safe, talking with the

deceiving father of a deceitful son.

LUCENTIO

And what of him?

BIONDELLO

His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.

LUCENTIO

And then?

BIONDELLO

The old priest of Saint Luke's church is at your

command at all hours.

LUCENTIO

And what of all this?

BIONDELLO

I cannot tell; expect they are busied about a

counterfeit assurance: take you assurance of her,

'cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum:' to the

church; take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient

honest witnesses: If this be not that you look for,

I have no more to say, But bid Bianca farewell for

ever and a day.

LUCENTIO

Hearest thou, Biondello?

BIONDELLO

I cannot tarry: I knew a wench married in an

afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to

stuff a rabbit; and so may you, sir: and so, adieu,

sir. My master hath appointed me to go to Saint

Luke's, to bid the priest be ready to come against

you come with your appendix.

[Exit]

LUCENTIO

I may, and will, if she be so contented:

She will be pleased; then wherefore should I doubt?

Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her:

It shall go hard if Cambio go without her.

[Exit]